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Dimensional weight calculated as (L × B × H) / 5000 in India. Couriers charge whichever is higher — actual or volumetric.
Volumetric weight (also called dimensional weight or DIM weight) is a calculated weight that reflects how much physical space a parcel occupies on a courier vehicle, irrespective of its actual mass.
In India, almost every domestic courier uses the same formula:
Volumetric weight (kg) = (Length × Breadth × Height in cm) / 5000
International air shipments typically use a divisor of 6000 instead.
Couriers charge the higher of actual weight or volumetric weight. A lightweight but bulky parcel — for example, a pair of running shoes in a 40 × 30 × 30 cm box, weighing only 1.2 kg — has a volumetric weight of 7.2 kg. The courier will charge for 7.2 kg, not 1.2 kg.
For D2C brands shipping lightweight-but-bulky SKUs (apparel, accessories, soft toys, packaged food), volumetric weight can inflate shipping bills by 30-50%.
The four highest-impact actions:
These steps typically cut volumetric weight by 18-32% and save ₹3-7 per parcel — across a 10,000-order month, that's ₹30,000-70,000 in monthly savings.
Courier dimensional-weight machines drift, and parcels get re-measured at hubs. If the courier's billed volumetric weight is higher than your packaged dimensions justify, you have a valid weight-reconciliation claim. See our weight reconciliation playbook.
ShipyBox automatically tracks per-AWB volumetric weight, flags overcharges, and helps merchants right-size packaging using historical SKU data. Try our volumetric weight calculator to see chargeable weight for any parcel.